Improvement in washing-machines



H. K. PIERCE WASHING-MACHINE.

No.17 3,9'97. Patented Feb. 212, 1876.

IKE/774 v :5 "u WITNESSES INVVENTOR Attorneys N-PEYERS, PMOTO-UTHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. 11C, 7

I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

HENRY K. PIERCE, OF LEXINGTON, MICHIGAN.

IMPROVEMENT IN WASHING-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 173,997, dated February 22,187(5; application filed November 10, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, HENRY K. PIERCE, of

Lexington, in the county of Sanilac and State clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, makinga part of this specification, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

tion of a front elevation of my device, with a portion of tub broken out. Fig. 2 is a side view, showing the lever-spring and the attachingblocks to thetub. Fig. 3isa diametrical cross-section of my device. Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are each detail views of the same.

My invention is a washing-machine, and consists in the novel construction and arrangement of the same, embracing the following elemental features: a wooden frame, consisting of two slotted uprights suitably supported and braced apart by cross-bars; a fluted cylinder revolving upon an axial shaft, to which motion is imparted by a handled winch or crank, and which also slides up and down within the slots of said uprights; three smooth rollers, so ad justed underneath said cylinderthat they are all revolved at the same time by the pressure of the cylinder upon their upper revolvu ion said shaft; a hand-lever, pivoted just over the spring end of said lever-bar; all of which, and their purposes, are hereinafter more fully described, and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which the same letters designate identical parts of my device in the different figures respectively.

The letters-A A represent the aforesaid up rights. The letter a represents the upper crossbar, and the letter B the said basal cross-bar, of the aforesaid wooden frame. Said uprights are of suitable, height, width, and thickness, suitably jointed into said basal bar B, and braced by the cross-bar a, near the top of said frame, as shown. They have each a slot,b, cut through its thickness, and about half-way down its height, in which the aforesaid lev- V er-bar is moved, and the pressing-bar,box, Flgure 1 of the drawings is a representa and axial shaft slide up and down. The letter (J represents the said fluted cylinder, of wood or other suitable material, fluted upon its surface, as shown, or it may be smooth, and revolved upon an axial shaft, 0, which is included and slides up and down within said slots b, and to which motion is imparted by a crank or handled winch, d. The letter D represents the three said rollers, of wood or other suitable material, with smooth surfaces, and so adjusted within said frame immediately beneath cylinder 0, runs an apron, g, which is a ribbon or belt made of any suitable material, width, or thickness, and so fittingly stretched and spliced that it will run continuously, as aforesaid, whenever said cylinder 0 is set in motion. By this contrivance clothing or such material is raised from the wash-tub and passed between said cylinder and'rollers, in the process of washing. The letter H represents a lever-bar, one endof which is pivoted within the slot 1) of the upright A, the other end extended through the corresponding slot of the upright A, where it is held down by the spiral spring h, one end of which is attached to the end of said lever-bar and the other to the outside of the upright, as shown. Saidlever-bar isformed into a projection at its middle lower surface, so as to press upon the middle of the j imam bar I, each end of which slides up and down within its slot b, and presses in turn a block, m,

loar H, to add pressureat will to that of said spring it upon the shaft 0, as aforesaid. The basal cross-bar B has both ends extended beyond the uprights of said frame, one end pro- I added with a tongue 11, and the other with a slot or groove, 11, as shown, said tongue and groove to fit each respectively into and over a corresponding mortise, a0, and a tongue, y, made each' in a separate block, (shown by Figs. 5 and 6,) which is fastened, one opposite to the'other, to either side within any washtub vof suitable size and capacity.. Said contrivance isgto firmly secure said frame and its contents within said tub when,my machine is I in use; besides, to allow said frame and tub to be detachable .from each other when not in use, as aforesaid.

The operation of my machine, thus constructed andvarranged, is as follows: The clothing or other articles to be cleansed are placed within said tub with the suds, and the said handled winch d turned. This causes the said articles to be raised on one side upon the said apron 9, passed between the cylinder 0 and the rubbing-rollers D, and down on the other side into the tub again to be again taken up and passed on'the said circuit, as before, so long as may be desired; thereby cleansing said articles thoroughly and quickly,

without any unnecessary wearing or tearing of the material. The said articles may also be wrung or pressed dry, by putting on additional pressure to the cylinder 0, by means of the hand-lever s, as aforesaid, and by passing the articles after the said pressure immedidiately out of thetub; therefore- What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

[n a washing-machine, the combination of the cylinder 0, the spring-lever H, the handlever s, the triple rollers D, the hangers f,

the spool E, and the apron 9, arranged in the frame A A B, substantially as and for the purposes specified. v

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name .in the presence of two witnesses.

HENRY K. PIERCE. Witnesses:

A. G. MAOKAY, W. H. LONDON. 

